Absalom g



@eine gratte ga'trntffirr.

Letters Patent No.A73,934, dated January 28, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN LANTERN.

tite tlgnulr referrer tu in their Enters tant mit mating gmt tf its stmt.

Speciicationof certain Improvements in Lanterns invented by ABSALOM G. SMTII, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey.

The object of my invention is topproduce a. good and serviceable lantern, easy to till, light, clean, and repair when necessary, and composed of the least possible number of pieces, and snsecured 1together that they may be held in place firmly, and'yet be easily detachable.

In order to accomplish lthese objects, my invention consists in forming around thevbase and top a lauternglass an 'inward projecting lange, `for the purpose of forming a deilectorr at the base, and strengthening both top and bottom; in securing the globe within the guard-frame by means of a spring-catch, operating in a groove or depression, or beneath a shoulder formed in the side of the globe;A in securing the upper and lower bands to each othei` by means of thetburnca"-shaft;` in holding the movable oil-pot in place by means of a fastening'bear# ing'upon `its top; in the combination described ofthe locking-spring and device for holding the parts in proper position; in the forni of the L-shaped slot, by means of which the device which secures the oil-pot is locked;v

in the method of holding the burner in place; in the arrangement of the lower band of the guard-frame, the` lower band of the lantern, and the bottom of the globe; in the construction and arrangement of the lower part of the lantern, the oil-pot, and burner-shaft, so that said shaft, when in place, shall be slightly sprung down ward at itsen'ds, and press down upon the burner and oil-pot, and thus keep them securely in place; In the accompanying drawingsi .A Figure l is a side elevation of my lantern without its bail or handle.

Figure 2 is aiverticalcentral section of the same.

Figure 3 is a side elevation in detail of the guardframe of the lantern.

Figure 4 is aside elevation'in detail of the glass of the lantern.

Figure 5 is a similar View of theburner and shaft.

Figure 6 is a similar view of the oil-pot.

Figure 7 is a similar view of the bottom of the lantern.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the spring used to fasten the bottom of the lantern to the guardframet Figure 9 is an elevation of the same.

Figure l0 is an elevation of the Lshaped slot in the lower band of the lantern, into which one end fa the burner-shaft is inserted.

Figure 11 shows the manner of fastening the globe into the guarde'framei Figure l2 is a detailed view of a portion of the bands and one end of the burnershaft, with the lockingd spring to hold the/parts in pla-ce. y

Figure 13 is a similar view of the bands, and the other end of the burner-shaft, on which the button or thumb-piece for turning said burner-shaft is set.

A is the wire-guard frame, to protect the glass, C, from'injury. B is the base or bottom, containing the loose oil-potGr. E is the burner; F, the burner-shaft; H, the locking-spring; I, the catch-spring, to hold'the glass in placewithin the guards.

Y The guard-frame A consists of several stout wires, e, bent in proper form, and secured at both endstotw parallel flanges of metal, b and cl The vertical wires e are strengthened and united by two or more horizontal 'strengthening wires, e.' The upper flange, c, of the guard-frame, is attached by suitable means to the top or cap d, which surmounts the lantern, and to the lower flange, b, is secured, by solder or otherwise, `the band a, which I call the lower band, todistinguish it from a similar band placed at the top of the guard-fra1e in lanterns of somewhat different construction and operation.

The glass, C, is in the form represented in g. 4, being the form which I prefer. At top and bottom ib'rm inwardprojecting annular enges, l and m,`for the purpose of strengthening those parts, and rendering them less liable to injury by cripping than heretofore. The lower flange, m, in addition to the increase of strength which it imparts to the bottom edge ofthe globe, enables me to secure a broad, ilat, deilecting surface, as shown in iig. 2, to catch and deflect the upward currents of air toward the base of the burner, without the aid of a metal rim' attached to the bottom of the glass. In order to secure the proper deflection of the upward Currents,

it is necessary that the` lower odge-ofthe glass, Ctlshould be placed very near to the top of the oil-pot G, and I therefore insert the lower edge of the globe into thebandh, which forms wall of the base or bottom, B, asshown in fig. 2, and am thus enabled to .adjust it any desireddistance above the edge of the oil-pot, as set forth.

It is required that the glass should beseeured to the gomiti-frame, so that when lthe base, B, is removed, for the purpose of lighting the lamp of otherwise, .the glass shall notI bo detached also, and yet it should be so secured as to be easily detached and removed, when required, for the purposes of cleansing or repair. I secure these qualities by forming a shoulder on the side of the glass, preferably near its lower end, under which a spring-catch engages when the glass is placed in position within the guard. I This shoulder is formed by making an indentation in the glass, and this -iudentation I prefer to make in the form of an annular grocve,j, because the spring-catch will then engage properly, without reference to the portion of the globe presented. This would not he the case if the indentation should be confined to one point. Lantern-glasses have heretofore been secured within the guard-frame by means of a bayonet-joint fastening, consisting of a projection, commonly made on the metal band, and an ILtshaped groove cast in the glass. The liability of finding the glass irregular instead' 0f circular, after annealing, renders this method unsatisfactory. They have also been secured by holdingdevices, catching under the lower edgeofgthe glass; but `'such a device am unable to use, for the Areason that it is necessary that I should insert my glass withinthe rim of the base, for the purpose heretofore stated. I therefore employ an indentation, which is in every way satisfactory.

I is the spring-catch which I employ. It is'located beneath the flange' I1, and is vsecured at one end to the band a. At its free end ithas a projecting lip, k, which projects through a slot made in the band a, and is free to engage inthe groove `7','or its equivalent indentation, at the proper time. In manufacture, I propose toplace this lip upon the' edge` of the locking-spring H, and thus dispense with the use of one spring, and requiring butv u. single springv throughout the whole lantern. This retaining-groove and spring might be located at the top of the glass, but, as a-matter oflccnvenienoe and economy, I prefer to locate them at the bottom, Aas shown.

The base or bottom, B, is composed of two parts, the plate f, which forms the base-plate, and the wall, which is divided into three parts, viz, the part L, which I call the band; the bead y, which forms a stop, and limits the distanceof the'lap of the bands a and 71., when the bottom, B, is placed in position in the guard-frame; and the-part g, between the bead and base-plate f, to increase the depth of the-bottom. Perforations for the admission' of air are made through the part g, and also through the base-plate f, if desired. AWhen referring to the'cottom, B, it is intended to include the parts f, g, z., and y as a whole. I i, -It is highly desirable that the oil-pot of a lantern should be made separate and detachable from the bottom, so that it may be readily detachable for the purposes of repair and cleansing, and so that the interior of the base or bottom, B, maybe easily accessible for the same purpose. It is alsodesirable that the oil-pot should not be insertedthrough thebase-plate j', but should be placed-within the base or bottom, B, from above, because if it is insertedfrom below upward, through the base-platef, extra fastenings must be provided, which n ot only increase the cost of the lantern, but increasesthe liability of dera'ngement also. I therefore, in forming the base-'plate f, make a slight depression, p, in its'middlc portion, into which the bottom of the oil-pot G fits, and. by whichthe oil-pot is kept in proper position within the bottom.

` It is also desirable, in making a lantern for public use, that it should be constructed with the-least possible number of detaehableor workingparts, and that, so far as possible, several duties shall be imposed upon each part, thereby rendering the cost of manufacture less, and also decreasing the liability to derangement in the hands of careless or unskillful people. Itis further necessary that the burner-shaft should project through the side of the case, so that the wick may be adjusted without openinger uncovering any part of Athe lantern. Now, the bottom and guard-frame of a lantern have hitherto been partially secured together by use of the burnershaft. I secure the bottom, B, to the guard-frame by use of the burner-shaft F alone, the' same being made of suflicient length to engage with both sides of the bands a and r., as shown in gs. 2 andr. The band a is provided with the ordinary L -shaped slot, peculiar to the bayonet-joint,.and the band L may also be provided jwith similar slots; but I prefer to use in theband 7L, on one side, a. rectangular perforation, v, (shown by red line in iig. 13,) and,vonthe other side, a notched slot, g, the shaft springing up intothe notch r. A retrograde movement in the slot is thereby prevented. When -the shaft F lies' in the slots q and 1).,'in the band'h, it is quite apparent that the oil-pot will be thereby confined in its scanf); and as the parts are so proportioned as to com-l pel a'sligrht. deflection of said shaft when being placed in the slots in the band h, the elasticity of said shaft will cause it to press upward in said slot, and rest in the notch r, when the same is reached.v The function ofretaining the oil-pot in itsseat will he accomplished even if the openingc should be omitted, andan inward projection substituted, under which the end of the shaft should engage; vor if it should be conside-red objectionable, for any reason, to use'the burner-shaft 'no retain the oil-pot in its seat, the same might be accomplished by some other convenient and Well-known device, to bear upon the upper side or cover of the oil-pot, that being considered the most desirable point of attachment.

In order to use the shaft F to retain the oil-pot in place, and also to secure a good attachment to hold tho bottom B and frame A securely together, I make the said shaft long enough to extend through both sides ofthe banda, and consequently, when the oil-pot* is in position, and the said shaft properly within thc slots g and v, its projected-ends-will serve' as points of attachment for the bayonet-slots t and w of the band a, andthe lock-l spring I-I being provided, prevents any change of relative position-between the shaft F and band a. If, however, the forms and proportions of the parts should cease with the foregoing description, there Vmight be a liability of turning the bottouu'B, so as, to release the slot q from the burner-shaft, and permit the'bottom, B, to be detached. I therefore make that part, s, of the banda which is beneath the horizontal portions of-the slots t and w, of sufficient width to retain. the shaft F within the notch r. This is clearly shown in iig. '13, the portion s there lling the space between the bead yand shaft F. In addition to the above functions of the burner-shaft there may be another, viz, to secure the burner itself ,in place upon the oil-pot, and this is simply the result of the construction already described, when the burner is secured by simple pressure, instead of by a screw-thread, as inthe ordinary manner. This last is, however,^a matter ot' taste. I consider it unobjectionable, but others may prefer to have the burner secured by a serew-thread. In figs. 8 and 9, the Vred line x indicates the proposed I position of the lip to engage with the shoulder j, to retain the globe in place. l

`supposing the parts of my lantern to be all detached, and I am about to .assemble them, the guard-frame `Ais taken in one hand and the glass in the other. The glass is inserted within the guard-frame until the spring I engages, as described, with 'the shoulder j. It is then securely fastened. I next place the oil-pot in its seat, p, and place the burner in position, with the shaft F resting within the' slots g and v. One end of the said shaft is then slightly depressed, and by a slight rotation of the shaft in .respect to the band h, said shaft is brought to the notch r. The-iual operation is' to couple the bottom and guardframe together, and this is done by slipping the band 7L within the band a, the burner-shaft F passing into the slots t and w, Vand the loch-spring H securing the whole firmly andv securely together. In lanterns 'of cheap construction, the anges b and e are frequently omitted, the ends of the guard-wires ,e being secured directly to the band a and cap d.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An inwardly-projecting flange around the base or top of a lantern-glass, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. I t v 2. A shoulder or depression yiu the side of the lantern-glass, in combination with a spring or automatic catch, to lock and retain theglobe within the guard-frame, substantially as set forth.

3. Holding a movable lamp or oil-pot down in its proper place upon the base-plate f, by means ofthe burner-shaft.

4. Securing the bottom, B, and the .guard-frame A to each other, by passing the burner-shaft F through both of the bands a and t, and at opposite sides of the lantern, substantially as set forth.

5. In combination with the burner-shaft F, extending through both sides of the bands a and 7L, and securing the bottom, B, and guard-frame A together, a spring-catch, H, substantially. as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In combination with the burner-shaft F and slotq, or its equivalent, the notch 9', substantially as and for the purpose set forth. v

`7. Holding.l burner' down in its proper place by means ofthe burner-shaft, secured to both sides of the band h, substantially as set forth. p v l 8. Projecting the lower end ofthe lantern-glass C downward within theV band t, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. y

9. The combination ofV the `burr'ier-shai't F, secured at each enid to the band Zt, with the top ofthe lamp-pot Gr, in such a manner that the said burner-shaft shall, when in position, be slightly bent or-sprung, so as to produce a pressure upon the burner-E and lamp G suioient to retain them respectively in-their places, substantially as herein specified. i y

10. Fastening a movable lamp-pot, which rests on the bottom of the lantern without any part extending through the same, down in its place, by `means of a fastening bearing upon its top, as set forth.

11. A seat, p, formed in the base-platef, to retain the movable lamp-pot in a central position, substantially as set forth.

A. G. SMITH.

Witnesses:

R. D. O. SMITH, PHILIPC. Dnrnnrcn. 

